It’s not as if I have a bad memory. I can recite the books of some series in order. I can talk about characters in Doctor Who or Deep Space Nine for hours. I can remember strange things like what friends were wearing the first time I met them (not everyone, but some) and hair—if I look at you funny after not seeing you for a while, it may be because you changed your hair style.
This can be a problem as a writer. I may be able to remember lists of characters and occurrences in other writers’ work, but I have to keep notes on mine sometimes. In the planning stages, a journal comes in handy here. I can jot down ideas and tag the page with a colored post-it. But once the writing begins, whether I have an outline or not (usually not), I have to keep a few sheets of notes to remind me where I am and who is who. I wish I didn’t…maybe if I had the luxury to write daily for six to eight hours like I dream of (the reason I play the lottery…the one in a million chance to have the resources to write full time is better than no chance at all) I could remember all I need to remember…probably not, I know my brain.